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This treatise introduces the "Existence Theory," a groundbreaking sociological paradigm emerging in 2022, challenging conventional perspectives on social order. Unlike structuralist viewpoints emphasizing external societal influence or neoclassical economics advocating individual rational choice, Existence Theory offers a synthesis. Drawing inspiration from European existentialism and phenomenology, it employs concepts like anxiety, intentionality, and temporality to depict individuals dynamically interacting with their social milieu. Central to this theory is the concept that individuals navigate life-based on cultural expectations, forming distinct existential milestones. Failure to meet these milestones within an accepted timeframe invites societal sanctions. These milestones, inherently sequential, give rise to what may be termed an 'existential ladder'. As time progresses, individual anxieties intensify, leading to "existential urgency." Combining rationalism with Popper's falsification ethos, this paper applies Existence Theory to analyze key social phenomena in contemporary China, including shifting male-female demographics, urbanization trends, and generational dissent against entrenched norms. Through this lens, the paper offers insights into the potential future trajectory of Chinese society. This exploration of Existence Theory sheds new light on how the interplay between individual experiences and cultural expectations shapes the dynamics of societies in the modern era, with a particular focus on China's evolving social landscape.
Wenqing Gu (Mon,) studied this question.